Chapter 498: We live only once, striving for a clear conscience is all that matters

Fang Chen smiled. He understood why Fairy Yu hesitated to acknowledge him. "So, it's because you've killed many people... that's why you're afraid of seeing me."

Fairy Yu shook her head as her tears fell like pearls. "Lord, I'm different from before... I don't want you to see me like this."

Fang Chen sighed lightly. "Silly girl, let me ask you: do you have a clear conscience?"

A clear conscience?

Various scenes flashed through Fairy Yu's mind, all the battles and killings she had experienced over the past decade. After a moment, she nodded slightly. "I have a clear conscience. I killed those people because they wanted to kill me."

"So, have you ever really changed?" Fang Chen smiled. "Even if the sky falls, I can bear it for you. If I can't, we'll figure out another way. It’s better than you pretending not to know me like now."

"Lord, they all call me a witch, a demoness. Are you really not bothered? Haven't I become the type of person you've hated all your life...."

Fairy Yu stared at Fang Chen, who stepped forward and covered her mouth.

"Just treat their slander like a fart. Even I have people who see me as a demon and want to kill my entire family." Fang Chen smiled faintly. "Caring too much about what others say makes life less enjoyable. We live only once, striving for a clear conscience is all that matters."

Fairy Yu's long-held grievances finally dissipated because of Fang Chen's words.

She finally smiled, and it was a smile that was vastly different from before, radiating boundless vitality to those around her. If her previous smile was like the cool moonlight, now it was as warm and intense as the sun. Unconsciously, everyone seemed immersed in that smile.

"Sir, Demoness Yu is now an enemy of the Central Continent Empire. All Golden Core Realm cultivators are pursuing her. Regardless of any past relationship you may have, you should avoid associating with her," a celestial soldier spoke, his gaze heavy on Fang Chen.

The other two celestial soldiers cursed inwardly. They were truly unlucky to bump into an unidentified sword cultivator, and it was also one who could defeat a late stage Golden Core Realm cultivator.

They were in a quagmire now.

"Lord, what they say is correct. Currently, all the Golden Core in the Central Continent Empire are hunting me down, and I've heard that my bounty is quite high," Fairy Yu said as she held Fang Chen's arm, her head gently resting on his shoulder, as if discussing something unrelated to herself.

"Just Golden Core Realm cultivators? Hasn't a Nascent Soul Realm expert made a move?" Fang Chen asked casually.

"The Void Immortal Sword Sect and Heavenly King Zhen had an agreement. Only cultivators of the same level can pursue me. Otherwise, ten thousand sword cultivators will descend upon his residence." Fairy Yu smiled. "Outsiders all say I'm a disciple abandoned by the Void Immortal Sword Sect, but I understand the ancestors. This is all they can do."

Another celestial soldier suddenly became furious, holding a piece of bronze mirror as if aiming it at Fang Chen. "Wait, you're also a disciple of the Void Immortal Sword Sect!?"

"Your affiliation is with the Void Immortal Sword Sect! You clearly promised not to interfere in this matter. Why didn't you keep your promise?"

Fairy Yu was about to explain through voice transmission, but Fang Chen smiled first and said, "That was an elder who registered me in the Immortal Register after I died. Truth be told, I haven't spent a single day in the Void Immortal Sword Sect, so I can't be considered a disciple of the sect."

Fairy Yu was somewhat shocked. "How did you know, lord?"

Fang Chen said softly, "I didn't actually die at that time, so I could see everything, but you couldn't hear or see me."

"I see..." Fairy Yu murmured to herself.

"Should we kill them all?" Fang Chen asked with a light smile.

"My spiritual energy is depleted. This time, I'll have to rely on you to protect me," Fairy Yu said cunningly. She immediately sat down cross-legged on the floor to recover.

The Golden Core Realm cultivators aboard were a bit frightened when they heard Fang Chen's words, especially the several celestial soldiers under the command of the Heavenly King of Town.

"We are celestial soldiers under Heavenly King Zhen. Now that you've killed one of us already, you have violated the laws of the the Central Continent Empire. If you dare to kill again..."

"What then? I'll become any enemy of the Golden Core Realm cultivators of the Central Continent Empire? Let them come and try to find me," Fang Chen said lightly.

He then drew a few swords in the air as if painting with ink, creating a bloody scene.

The Golden Core Realm cultivators in the sky all turned into dismembered parts in an instant. A surge of spiritual energy pulled their storage rings into Fang Chen's hands.

Pin-drop silence.

Senior Chi and the others gulped reflexively. They didn't dare to take a single breath. The legs of several Golden Core Realm cultivators were trembling faintly.

He killed a the late stage Golden Core Realm cultivators just like that...

Was the attacking power of sword cultivators really this terrifying?!

This is was the first time they have felt this way in many years. It felt as if life and death was only a thought from him.

Fang Chen looked at Senior Chi and the others. "Are you going to choose to suicide, or...?"

Suicide?!

The Golden Core Realm cultivators were sweating profusely, and one of them stammered, "D-Daoist... we haven't even made a move, we're not even cultivators from the Central Continent Empire...."

"You were just about to join hands with them on her, so you're accomplices now." Fang Chen smiled and then pointed at Senior Chi. "Just like him, even though he has never actively shown himself, he can't erase the fact that he's been colluding with Chen Sheng all these years."

Senior Chi was shocked, and his face scrunched up with horror.

Chen Sheng?!

Many cultivators on the ship looked strange, and some couldn't help but want to speak up.

Nan Tian couldn't help but laugh wildly. "Senior Chi, do you still have anything to say now? This senior knows about your dealings with Chen Sheng, so you can't deny it anymore, can you? As a Golden Core Realm cultivator who engaged in such lowly activities, you were bound to face retribution sooner or later."

Although Nan Tian was scolding him, Senior Chi didn't dare retort. His mind raced like lightning, trying to find a way out.

The nearby cultivator named Zhou felt guilty and said, "Don't falsely accuse my uncle. We have no relation to Chen Sheng. If you have the ability, make him show up and ask him!"

Fang Chen suddenly laughed. "Isn't he dead?"

The cultivator surnamed Zhou was slightly stunned at first. Soon, he took a sharp breath.

No wonder! I finally know who killed Chen Sheng!

"Sir, there is indeed some connection between me and Chen Sheng, but it's not something I wanted. I'm willing to offer everything. Just spare my life," Senior Chi suddenly spoke, respectfully taking off his storage ring and raising it high in front of Fang Chen, bowing deeply.

The other Golden Core Realm cultivators behind him followed suit quickly. Today, being able to keep their lives was worth any price!

"If you're dead, all of this belongs to me." Fang Chen shook his head lightly.

"Go!" Suddenly, a Golden Core Realm cultivator erupted, turning into a stream of light as he tried to escape. The others followed suit.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

However, before they could escape a mile, they were all cut down by the sword light from behind.

When the cultivator surnamed Zhou saw Senior Chi turning into fragments before his eyes. He didn't know when, but his lower body was already wet, and a foul stench pervaded.

Now, apart from those who hadn't shown themselves and were hiding in secluded rooms, all the Golden Core Realm cultivators on the ship's deck had been completely wiped out...